


A Song in My Heart

by Abbyromana



Series: The Dark Knights of Gotham [3]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, Bruce Wayne is Batman, Dick Grayson is Nightwing, F/M, Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Past Relationship(s), Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-07
Updated: 2019-03-06
Packaged: 2019-11-07 10:03:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17958413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Abbyromana/pseuds/Abbyromana
Summary: After a long night that ended quite well, Dick Grayson returns to the Bat Bunker in Wayne Tower. However, while he was having fun he missed some stunning events and news back home.





	1. While you were away...

Blinking up into the blushing orange sun, Dick felt like he didn't have a care in the world. He would have been happy just to glide on the cool, morning breeze all day. Besides, he would have welcomed staying up for once, just watching the sun rise to its full height.

Inside, thrummed the steady beat of a song. He felt its rhythm echoed with each beat of his heart. The melic pulse beseeched his lips to give the song voice. If he wasn’t afraid of being heard this early in the morning, stirring Gotham from its slumber, he might have given into the song.  Instead, Dick allowed the music to flow through his body, guiding his carefree gestures and movements. Up and down, he soared along air currents, lifting him higher and higher.

Instead of shying from the morning warmth, he admired how the new rays of sunlight reflected off the translucent top coat of feathers. He found he could light the top of Wayne Tower in an array of blue and purple hues.

_Beautiful._

Warmth soon engulfed his face. A fit of giggles threatened to distract him as he barely landed on the top of Wayne Towers. Near breathless, he laid there a second, letting the events of the night wash over him.

Tonight had been a good night. Two cat burglars were now in police custody. There were four street thieves rethinking their line of work because of him. Two warring gangs were not going to war over a misunderstanding. Four kids would be seeking help instead of some drug dealer. A mother and her two kids were now safely away from a deadbeat abuser and getting the support they needed. And he’d gotten one lost kid out of harms way from a pack of were-beasts and back to his orphanage, safe and sound.

_He called me... beautiful._

Sighing happily, he started to turn over and look towards the propped open skylight.  As he edged along the glass incline, he felt a sharp pain shoot up his left wing. Cringing, Dick reminded himself not everything about last night was so great. Thanks to Slade, his left wing was going to be sensitive for the next day or two. And he probably shouldn’t have started off the night arguing with Bruce. That's why he been patrolling on his own.

Looking down into the narrow, vertical passageway, he sighed. He knew he'd have to face Bruce again. Part of him hoped it wouldn't be until later tonight, since the Bat often rested after a night of patrolling. Mentally crossing his fingers, he closed his eyes. When he did, it was not the image of Bruce glaring at him that entered his thoughts but Jason's warm smile from last night.

The kid was really the main reason for his good night. No. Not a kid, Dick corrected himself. He had been a fourteen-year-old man, probably less than three years younger than himself.

Still, gazing down into the dark passage way below, Dick rested his chin on his arms and just smiled. "Incredibly brave. Smart, Quick." He slightly shrugged. "Maybe a bit brash and sharp tongued, but... kind of cute, too. And what a sense of humor!"

Nibbling his lower lip, Dick tried in vain to fight the warmth that made his whole body feel flushed.  He honestly couldn’t remember the last time he had so much fun with a human. He certainly never got along so well with humans his own age before.

_Me... beautiful... Only my mom ever called me that._

Even at Haley's Circus, the human Circus brats wanted nothing to do with him most of the time. That had been a blessing in disguise. Sure, he remembered being little, trying in vain to keep up with them when they played games or went into town. As he got older, he found he preferred not to be around them. Then, their games involved teasing and bully him or one of the other non-human children. A few of times, they held him down and tied old cans or bicycle bells to his wings and legs, and then, they chased him around like some animal of burden. Because he wasn't able to fly at the time, he often hid among the elephants to escape them. Zitka was most often his protector, since she didn't like the human Circus brats anymore than him. One time, he stayed the whole day with Zitka, until his father found him asleep and carried him to their trailer.

"But Jason's different. He doesn't tease me. He... likes me. He called me beautiful!" happily giggled Dick as he pulled himself through the skylight. Down, down into the inky darkness of the narrow passageway he glided, using his talons and wings to guide him. "Beautiful, me." Slowly the passageway grew into a dark, expansive room. The pupils of his eyes widened to their full size, allowing him to pick up on a distant, low light below. Thus, he headed towards it.

Drawing ever closer to the bright, white glow, Dick started to hum the deep but jovial tune that had yearning to be let out. As he hummed it, he realized how much he liked the tune. It was different from his normal song that he liked to sing when his mind wandered. In fact, as he thought about the melody in B flat; it reminded him a lot of Jason. He wondered if Jason would enjoy it as much as the younger man seemed to enjoy the rest of Dick's songs.

By the time, his talons touched the ground, he spotted Alfred walking towards him, holding a tray. “Welcome home, Master Richard. Did you have a good night?”

Without thinking about it, a renewed smile burst across Dick’s face. “Amazing! You should have seen me…”

Something between a growl and thunder silenced Dick's jubilation in its tracks. “Where have you been?!”

For an instant, Dick's shoulders tensed. He remembered the argument from earlier, and his original reason for running off came rushing back. No putting off this conversation like he had hoped. Worse, he could tell the voice was still very mad.

Without turning, Dick said in a quiet and slightly shaky voice, "Nice to see you, too."

"That's not an answer," the voice boomed. Dick could have swore the shadows shook with fear at the sound of the voice.

Standing still, Dick drew in a few deep breaths, trying to strengthen his voice. His lips vibrated, trying to find some soothing song for the owner of the voice. Yet, his body shivered involuntarily as the dark shadows of a towering form fell upon him. He did not fear being hurt, just having to enter yet another argument.

Alfred must have noticed Dick's struggle. Placing a hand on his armored shoulder, Alfred looked over Dick's shoulder and answered for him. “The young master was just telling me, Master Bruce.” Then, he smiled warmly at Dick, making some of the tension leave his shoulders. "Isn't that right, young sir?"

Still, there was another deep, threatening growl. “He’s late. He should have been back hours ago. The sun was already in the air. People could have seen him. He was careless.”

“No! I was careful,” said Dick, feeling the tension quickly ebb away. Instead, he felt his feathers along his spine rise in anger and frustration. He hated when Bruce lectured him. “I’m not some child…”

As the words passed his lips, he suddenly heard a high-pitched hiss. The noise surprised him. He had never heard Bruce make that noise before. It was too sharp and light for his bulky, brooding form.

Turning around, he looked only to be met by the towering, expansive form of the Bat. At the moment, he appeared to almost fill the shadows of the bunker. Unlike when he was a child, he was not surprised nor scared of Bruce’s appearance or size. The blackness his form was near indistinguishable from the shadows that now cloaked the room. Still, he did not see where the hissing had come from.

“And yet, you keep acting as a child,” Bruce commented. For a moment, Dick forgot the hissing.

Sighing, Dick rolled his eyes. “Everyone is entitled to let lose... a little fun once and awhile, Bruce.” Flashing a grin in the older man’s direction, he added, “You should try it. You know… fun.”

Bruce’s response was a growl. It was a threat, but Dick knew the sound of irritation mixed among the anger.

Speaking of which, an old tune finally popped into Dick's head. He knew it since he was young. It was a light, jovial melody that he used to hum to himself when he was in a good mood. Since he was more less in a good mood, Dick started to hum it. Not waiting for Bruce to say another word, he turned back to Alfred.  Removing his mask, he changed the hum to melic speaking, “Even the mighty Bat needs to relax… slow down... and remember... what it is to be a child. Childish. Kidish! I bet you were once a cute, little bat once.”

Once more, Dick heard the high-pitch hissing.

Dick turned his comments to Alfred. "Right, Alfred?"

Alfred just smiled and handed Dick a bottle of water.

Pausing briefly, Dick took a long drink. Then, he spied over his shoulder at Bruce. The shadows seemed less intense. The towering form that once consumed them now looked to have shrunk to a more human size. He knew that was in part to his singing. He knew the effect he could have on Bruce, even if the Bat refused to admit it.

Still humming, he turned back towards Alfred and returned the bottle to the tray. Then, he started to remove the flexible but durable armor from his arms and torso. Alfred took them from him.

As his natural feathers were uncovered, he puffed his plum out, relishing the feel of air against them again. Stretching his arms and wings this way and that, he tried to get the tension of earlier to go away once again. He felt the sharp pain in his left wing again, cringed slightly.

"You're injured?!" The bark of Bruce's voice seemed to have softened along with his size.

Throwing a grin over his shoulder, he replied, "Nothing I can't handle."

That wasn't a satisfactory answer to Bruce. He softly growled. "Alfred..."

Knowing the orders that would soon follow, Dick was quick to change the subject back on Bruce. "How about you?"

"Me?" Bruce said in a gruff voice.

"Yeah! All that cold air, all that stress, and who knows how many hits you've taken..."

"Richard..." Bruce started to say. There was less the sound of a threat and more the sound of exasperation in the older man's voice.

Cutting him off, Dick increased his singing, choosing to even dance with his own song. "You know... you need some you time. Relax...., you’re starting to get squeaky with all that tension.”

Dick swore he saw the tiniest of curves to Bruce's lips, before he shook his head. "What are you talking....?”

“I don't know if you're squeaking at the joints or your voice is getting tight due to...”

Suddenly, Alfred coughed, stopping Dick in mid melic explanation and drawing both his and Bruce's attention. “Perhaps, Master Bruce, you should inform the young master of our recent visitors in his absence.”

The light, jovial song instantly died on Dick's lips. Looking between Alfred and Bruce, Dick asked, “Visitors? What visitors?”

“Hell has visited,” simply said Alfred with a raised eyebrow in Bruce’s direction. There was a dryness to his voice and a look of irritation.

“Al Guhl might be a demon, but he is not from some metaphorical underworld, Alfred.”

“Very well, Sir.” Coughing, Alfred turned on his heel. “Though that brimstone damage on your torso from your last encounter with him would suggest otherwise.”

That earned a deep grumble from Bruce.

Dick brief chuckled, recalling the three days Bruce spent in and out of a bath of special potions made by Alfred. Even afterwards, Bruce had smelled like sulfur for weeks afterwards. "Not rotten eggs again!" 

A high-pitched hiss erupted again from Bruce's direction.

Despite teasing Bruce about his past encounter, Dick was genuinely concerned to hear about Al Guhl coming to see Bruce. He knew about the history between Bruce and that demonic family. He pressed with another question. “So...Ra’s was here? Again?”

“Yes.”

“Why? And why didn't you call me? If you were under attack, no matter what, I would have…”

“He was not here to cause me or Gotham any harm,” Bruce told him. That’s when Dick noticed a look of sadness wash over Bruce’s usually stoic face.  There was a subtle tremble to the Bat.

"What is it?"

The words that slipped out came out choked. “Talia… is dead.”

Dick’s breath caught in his throat. “Bruce… my god! I’m… I’m sorry."

Bruce briefly diverted his gaze towards the darkness on his left.

With thinking about it, Dick took a couple steps closer to Bruce. "I know you and Talia..." The words got caught in his throat. Taking another step towards Bruce, he tried again to speak. "I know you had feelings..."

Once more, Dick heard the threatening high-pitched hissing. This time he chose to ignore it. Instead, he reached out to the man. Part of him wanted to hug the man who had raised him most of his life. Bruce was the closest thing he had to a father.

After a few seconds more, Bruce's tight voice went on. “He came to tell me a Demon Hunter had killed her... and taken something. He stopped to tell me he was hunting him down and...” Whatever he was about to say seemed to get caught in his throat.

With a sad smile, Dick began to hum softly. Unlike the last song, this was not jovial in any way. Rather, it was an airy, flowing tune with a haunting refrain. This was one song Dick knew by heart. It came to him the day his parents died. For days on end afterwards, he sung it whenever his heart ached for them. Now, he wanted Bruce to know he felt for him, he understood, and genuinely care. He wanted Bruce to find solace and comfort in the flowing tune.

However, Alfred’s voice interrupted his serenade. “You still have not told him everything yet, Master Bruce.”

Dick turned towards the older man. “What do you mean, Alfred?” When Alfred only looked once more towards Bruce, Dick did, too. “What does he mean?”

“Besides being informed of her death, Talia requested I be left with… an obligation. Her last request to me.”

Suddenly, Dick heard the threatening hissing growing louder and more demanding. Looking in the dark space just to the left of Bruce, he noticed two piercing red dots in the inky blackness. They looked like blood red stars off in the distant night sky.

As Bruce spoke, Dick found himself transfixed on the red glowing dots. “She had given life to a child. My child.”

Looking up suddenly, Dick stared wide eyed. “Your child? You mean you and Talia?”

Nodding once, Bruce tilted his head towards his left. “My son. Damian.”

Dick’s lips parted to say the name, but it never made it past his lips. Instead, his focus was on the two blood red stars. They suddenly looked much larger or was that much closer than a few seconds before. He just blinked as their shone brighter with each passing second. Without warning, the two blood red stars transformed into a pair of piercing eyes. A sleek dark form only about a fifth of the size of Bruce in his normal human form flew from the dark shadows. For a split second, Dick thought he was actually looking a mini version of Bruce, and that smaller version had claws fully extended, and it was flying straight at him.

With one quick step back, Dick only had time to raise his arms and scream before the dark mini-Bruce latched its claws into his flesh.

 

_To be continued..._

 


	2. Demonic Little Bother

“Ouch!” Dick drew back from Alfred's touch.  

A renewed pain bloomed across his face. His talons covered the large gash in the hard bridge of his nose. Blinking past tears, he gave the older man hurt look, even though he knew the man wasn't the real cause of his pain.

Still holding the cloth damp with San San, Alfred gave him an apologetic look."I'm sorry, Master Richard."

Slowly, Dick sighed lowering his talons, allowing Alfred to return the cloth to the gash. Dick only cringed slightly this time.

“Now, you know the importance of applying...”

"I know." His voice came out nasally as he tried to nod his understanding. He sat patiently until Alfred removed the cloth to retrieve a small bandage. "It just really hurts."

With an understanding nod, Alfred placed the bandage over the injury. He returned to his first aid kit.

Choosing to distract himself from the discomfort, Dick turned his attention to the bandages wrapped around his left arm and left thigh. His claws glided carefully over the fresh wrappings, which were already showing a tint of red here and there. He had a few deep gashes beneath them as well as more than a few new bald patches. Glancing behind him at his left wing, he took note of the bald patches there as well.

His lips buzzed with displeasure. There was an anguished song demanding to be released from his tight throat. Alfred stopped with a single finger on Dick's lips.

Looking up at the older man, Dick blinked. "Now, now. No need for that, young sir. Not only are you not a child, but we have company, and you know what that means."

Rolling his eyes, Dick sighed heavily. "...No sympathy singing, just cause I feel like it."

"Yes," Alfred confirmed. "Master Bruce and I may be able to keep ourselves from your 'influence',  if we wish, but the...uh... _child..._ can not."

Dick snorted, regretting it when his nose stung. "I don't think I care if the little demon got affected or not." His gaze shifted in Bruce and Damian's direction. "In fact, I think he needs to cry a little, Alfred." Looking away, he heard Alfred give an exasperated sigh.

Dick chose to ignore it as he stared intently at pair across the expansive room. Bruce and Damian looked like they were in a heated discussion. The Bat had one large claw wrapped around the boy's shoulder. He appeared to be scolding the boy in a strange, unfamiliar language. Then again, Dick couldn't be sure Bruce was even really scolding the boy. Despite the sharp sounds coming out of his mouth, he could have easily been explaining things to the demon-bat boy. After all, the boy sounded the same when he spoke the same language. But there was venom to the sounds coming from the demon-bat boy's mouth and in gestures he made. All of them seemed to be directed at or about Dick.

"Vicious little demon," Dick grumbled more to himself. "One hell of... a bite."

He heard Alfred cough, drawing him back to the older man. Alfred was emptying a bottle of bluish green liquid into a glass of water. Then he added a pinch of reddish powder, before stirring. "Clearly the League of Assassins trained him well to fight... to protect himself." He handed the concoction over to Dick.

With a snort, Dick took the glass and looked at it briefly. "More primal, I'd say." Then, he downed the mixture. His throat constricted for a second, but he swallowed it. He knew well enough not to question Alfred on his medicinal creations. They tasted horrible but really did the trick. "Though, I must say, they really do look alike from the ears to the wings," Dick commented as Alfred briefly met his gaze.

Alfred looked up with a thoughtful expression. He looked at the father and son for a second. "I'd say so, except... maybe for the eyes and around the mouth." 

"Yea, I noticed the brown flecks in the eyes, too. And as for the size of his mouth..." Dick said dryly, touching his red nose. Alfred placed a hand on his shoulder, he gave a gentle squeeze. Dick just sighed. “Still... I can't believe it. Bruce has a son. And a demon one at that.”

“Trust me. We were just as surprised as you. But Master Bruce did check the boy for genetic verification as well as for any booby traps. He wouldn't let Ra's leave the boy here until he was sure. Feelings for Talia aside."

"So no secret agent?" He flashed a teasing grin at Alfred.

"I believe you mean, sleeping agent, Master Dick," Alfred corrected with a bemused expression. "But no. None of that."

Dick gave a soft chuckle, before sighing again. “Still,” Dick said, “a son.”

Nodding slowly, Alfred seemed to agree. “I know."

Silence fell between them. A long moment, Dick just sat as Alfred cleaned up dirty cloths and first aid material.

Then, Alfred spoke up again. "But we must make the best of it, and no doubt the.... uhm... child has been through much."

Looking up at Alfred, Dick asked, "You mean his mother's death?"

Tilting his head to one side as he cleaned up. "Yes, most certainly that has impacted him, but we must also consider the kind of life he must have led before now. Raised among the League of Assassins... and killers. His instincts are to maim and kill. I doubt he knows anything of.... compassion or love."

Unapologetically chuckling, Dick shook his head. He gestured to his nose. "I'd say definitely no."

"All the more important that we keep our promise to his grandfather. We must be there for him."

Dick pressed his lips together. Crossing his arms, he shook his head. He didn't like the thought of getting closer to the boy. "Not like I have much of a choice." He sighed, letting his eyes drift shut. "What an end to the night."

There was a soft bemused humming from Alfred. "Though, it must not have all been so bad, hm? You were trying to tell me about it before we were interrupted, right?”

Warmth flooded Dick's face. He felt a large smile spreading across his face, despite himself. Dipping his head, he struggled to speak coherently. “Well, I… uhm…" His bit his lip, hesitating to say anything now that the adrenaline was finally running down. Briefly, he looked up.

Alfred was smiling at him. 

Dick swallowed. Collecting his thoughts before just blurting out, "I met someone.”

“Oh?” Alfred inquired, taking a seat on the medical bed across from Dick. A smile was still lingering on Alfred's lips. No doubt Alfred could tell from the warmth reddening Dick's face the type of person Dick had met. “Who? Another Siren? Or a different being? Clearly, someone very special.”

Shaking his head, Dick told him. Lowered his head for a second, debating what to say and not to say. “Just someone really nice... and helpful. A...a friend." Despite himself, he knew the broadening smile on his face was giving himself away.

A warm chuckle drew Dick's gaze back up. "Just a friend, you say. Hmmm. Must have really made an impression on you. Not even Miss Gordon makes you turn that color."

Dick nodded silently in response. His heart was yearning to say more, but he was also afraid. He knew that both Alfred and Bruce had warned him time and time again about humans. Normally, he listened. He limited his interactions to patrol time. You either rescued a human from trouble or you immobilized a human to save another. Before Jason, there was nothing else he wanted to do with them. But Jason felt like the exception to the rule.

Alfred raised an eyebrow, silently encouraging him to go on.

Unable to hold it all in, gripped Alfred's arm. "Peppermint twist," He held up two talons on his left hand and crossed them.

To anyone else, the phrase sounded like a ridiculous and childish thing to say, but to Dick and Alfred it was a secret code. A promise to keep a shared secret just between them. Years ago when Dick came to stay with Alfred and Bruce, Dick and Alfred had come up with this shared term. It was only to be used when Dick wanted to tell Alfred something in confidence without Bruce or anyone else knowing. Alfred had always kept his word on keeping Dick's secret.

Showing his understanding, Alfred held up two fingers and crossed them the same. "Peppermint twist."

Finally, Dick blew out a breath and said softly, "I… I met a boy. A human boy."

Alfred's lips parted, and Dick quickly shook his head, holding up his crossed talons. Then, Alfred shut his mouth and held up his two crossed fingers again. Instead, he nodded his understanding.

Keeping his voice down, Dick went on. "I know. I know what you’re going to say. That it's dangerous, and you can’t trust him, but he’s different." Dick felt all his emotions spill out as one of his songs would. He just couldn't help himself. "Jaybird is... so, so different from any other human I’ve ever met. He's smart and funny, and he called me beautiful. Can you believe that, Alfred? Me considered beautiful by a human!”

There was a brief tightness to Alfred's lips, and his brow furrowed, but a second later, a smile curved his lips. "Sounds like a good lad."

"He is! And more! He saved my life after I saved his, and we shared waffles and chocolate shakes over an early morning breakfast."

Alfred chuckled. "Sounds like you had a good time."

Dick nodded his head vigorously. "I did! We did!"

"Well, I’m glad you have made a friend, Master Richard. A bit of sunshine in Gotham is a rarity." Placing a hand on Dick's good shoulder, Alfred whispered back, "Hold on to it, but don’t let it blind you from trouble. Trust must be earned and not simply given. Even for one as amazing as this young man... this Jaybird.”

“I know, Alfred, I know. I just think the boy is worth taking a risk.”

Suddenly, there was the sound of two pairs of feet. Dick was quick to whisper, "Peppermint twist."

Alfred held up his two fingers twisted together again and winked back his understanding.

Then Dick and Alfred turned to face the approaching footsteps. Dick found Damian standing before him. A deep scowl was on his small, round face. His lips were tightly drawn back, showing off his razor sharp fangs. He looked like he wanted to be any place else.

In a deep voice, Bruce said, “Go on, Damian.”

The tiny head snapped in his father’s direction with pure rage. A high-pitched hiss followed. “Must I.”

“Yes.”

In that strange language, Damian said something, perhaps a curse word. Finally, Damian sighed heavily and closed his eyes. Very slowly, he muttered, “Father says I must... apologize.” The last word was spat as if it was poison in the demon-bat boy's mouth.

A low growl cut off Damian.

Rolling his eyes, he crossed his arms as he continued to speak. “I am sorry for hurting you, Grayson, but you need to learn to never refer to me as some child.”

“That’s an apology.”

“Master Richard, perhaps it is best…”

“I know. I know, Alfred,” he said with a sigh. He turned once more to Damian. “Look, I wasn’t calling you a child. I was thinking about myself and Bruce when we were each young.”

Damian's eyes flashed bright red. “Father was never a child either!”

That got a snort of amusement from Alfred.

Dick just rolled his eyes. “I know it’s hard to believe, but you father was.” Then he glanced up at Bruce who remained silent, despite keeping his eyes focused on Damian. “Even if at times he acts ancient.”

When Bruce's head snapped up to give him a withering look, Dick was quick to flash a smile at Bruce.

"But I"m sorry, if I made you feel uncomfortable." He rose off the table and approached Damian with an extended hand.

The demon-bat boy looked uneasy as he eyed the hand. Then, he hissed. "Do not be so forward, Siren. You might be pretty to look at, but an Al Guhl did not give you permission..."

"Damian," growled Bruce. "That's not how it works here. Dick is offering you a friendly handshake."

Damian looked pointedly at his father, and then turned to stare coldly at the extended hand. "I don't want his hand."

Dick just sighed, rolling his eyes. "Will you at least except my apology?"

"If I must," coldly said Damian.

There was a sigh from Alfred and a growl from Bruce.

 

To be continued...

 


End file.
